How to open the gate in The Plucky Squire

How to open the gate in The Plucky Squire
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

Getting the gate open in The Plucky Squire is your first real puzzle and, as such, might confuse you. Finding missing words is obviously the goal but as it's your first encounter with anything like this, it's understandable if you're not 100% sure how to proceed. 

This basically sets up one of the main puzzle mechanics and you'll encounter it again, not long after this when you reach the The Plucky Squire forest puzzle, and later a Plucky Squire books and The Plucky Squire huge bug obstacle. 

The Plucky Squire gate puzzle explained

plucky squire gate puzzle

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
  1. Attack the bush to the left of the sentence to reveal 'gate', pick it up and place it in the first slot. 
  2. Head far right to the other page of the book, to a tree surrounded by monsters. Kill them all and hit the tree to release the word 'open'.
  3. Pick 'open' and place that in the second slot. 

plucky squire gate open

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)
Adventure or story mode?

The Plucky Squire adventure or story mode options gives you two ways to play. Here's where we explain what that changes. 

The Plucky Squire gate puzzle is, as you can see, not too tricky. You just need to place the words 'gate' and 'open' in the missing sections of the sentence to spell out 'the gate is open'. Because this is a story book where words have power, that will then magically open the gate and let you carry on. 

The tricky bit here is that while 'gate' is visible, poking out from behind a nearby bush, the 'open' is nowhere to be seen. If you explore to the right, and the second page of the book, you'll see a tree ringed by monsters. This is basically a set up where, in the process of hitting the monsters, you should hit the tree and dislodge the missing 'open'.  

plucky squire gate missing word

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

It is possible, though, to kill all the creatures without hitting the tree, meaning you could miss the word and not be sure what else to try. So if that's was the case, give the tree they were around a good whack to dislodge what you need. It's generally a good idea to get into a habit of hitting all the trees and bushes you can reach, as a lot will drop money and health. 

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission

Leon Hurley
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides, which means I run GamesRadar's guides and tips content. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website. 

Read more
Dragon Age The Veilguard Warden Vault rook and companions standing in front of vault seal
How to open the Dragon Age: The Veilguard Warden Vault
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle A Game of Wits Mak-Yek board
How to get the Indiana Jones A Game of Wits Mak-Yek board game safe code
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Fountain of Confession
How to solve the Indiana Jones Fountain of Confession puzzle
Dragon Age Veilguard statue puzzle
The Dragon Age: The Veilguard Lighthouse statues puzzle explained
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Materia Prima Henry talking to miller Kreyzl
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Materia Prima walkthrough
Avowed screenshot depicting combat with a corrupted plague bear, the protagonist wielding a sword and a magical spellbook
11 Avowed tips and tricks for beginners in the Living Lands
Latest in Adventure
Minecraft movie image of Jack Black as steve
Don't expect Minecraft to go free-to-play anytime soon, as Mojang says "It doesn't really work with the way we built it"
Putting cigarettes in fish mouths in Thank Goodness You're Here
Thank Goodness You're Here's developer says it was trying to design a game normally before realizing "we're s**t at video game design"
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Cards
How to get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Z-A's director appears to be a Xenoblade Chronicles fan, and I'm now feeling very validated about a tiny detail I spotted in the upcoming RPG's gameplay trailer
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon TCG Pocket is getting yet another new expansion as the addition of shinies and Gen 9 Pokemon keep free-to-play players drowning in new cards to collect
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry release date and details
Latest in Guides
FC 25
FC 25 Dreamchasers tracker and full UEFA promo guide
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe "justice must be served" or "killing them isn't justice" Yaya and Mistumune choice
Should you side with Mitsumune or Yaya in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Cards
How to get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Assassin's Creed Shadows money naoe and merchant
How to get money in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry release date and details
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe in outfit
Best Assassin’s Creed Shadows armor for Naoe and Yasuke